In celebration of Jack Nicholson’s 80th birthday, BFI to re-release
in cinemas UK-wide the legendary, multi-Oscar®-winning
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST
US 1975, 128 mins, Cert 18
Directed by Miloš Forman
Opening date: 14 April 2017
Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Danny DeVito, William Redfield,
Brad Dourif, Christopher Lloyd
London, 16 December 2016 – On 22 April next year, the incomparable Jack Nicholson
will reach 80. In celebration of this milestone birthday, the BFI will bring the magnificent
1975 tragicomedy in which he starred, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, back to big
screens across the UK on 14 April 2017.
Nicholson’s unforgettable performance as the ingenious, heroic free spirit RP ‘Mac’
McMurphy, who leads an uprising in the men’s ward of a mental hospital run by callous
Nurse Rached (Louise Fletcher), won him his first Best Actor Oscar®.
Adapted from Ken Kesey’s best-selling 1962 novel, directed by Miloš Forman
(Amadeus, Man on the Moon) and produced by Saul Zaentz (Amadeus, The English
Patient) and Michael Douglas (his first producer role), One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s
Nest was only the second film ever to win the ‘big five’ Oscars®. It also won six BAFTAs
and six Golden Globes.
The brilliant supporting cast of hospital patients, who interacted together throughout the
story, were selected from over 100 actors after multiple auditions. Mostly unknown at
the time, they included Danny DeVito – in his first major role – as Martini, Brad Dourif
(Billy Bibbit) who has had a hugely successful stage and screen career ever since,
Christopher Lloyd (future star of the Back to the Future trilogy) in his first film role and
the Native American painter Will Sampson as Chief Bromden.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is considered to be one of the greatest American films
of all time. In 1993 it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry of the
United States Library of Congress, since it was deemed to be "culturally, historically, or
aesthetically significant".
-endsPress contact:
Jill Reading
BFI Press Officer
21 Stephen Street
London W1T 1LN
Tel: (020) 7957 4759
E-mail: [email protected]
@BFI
About the BFI
The BFI is the lead body for film in the UK with the ambition to create a flourishing film
environment in which innovation, opportunity and creativity can thrive by:

Connecting audiences to the widest choice of British and World cinema

Preserving and restoring the most significant film collection in the world for today and
future generations

Championing emerging and world class film makers in the UK - investing in creative,
distinctive and entertaining work

Promoting British film and talent to the world

Growing the next generation of film makers and audiences